Washington: US President Barack Obama has nominated Cecil Haney, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, to be the next commander of the US Strategic Command (Stratcom), Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

If confirmed by the Senate that Haney will succeed Air Force Gen. Robert Kehler at Stratcom, which has its headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. In the Pacific Fleet, Obama nominated Harry Harris, assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to succeed Haney as the US Pacific Fleet commander.

According to the Pentagon, Stratcom is one of the nine unified commands in the Defense Department, and conducts global operations in coordination with other combatant commands, the services and appropriate US government agencies to deter and detect strategic attacks against the United States and its allies, and to defend the nation as directed.